Method for routing and processing of print jobs in an open systems printing environment

ABSTRACT

A method for open systems printing including routing print jobs automatically from different types of source computers to different types of printers without the source computers selecting printers for each print job. 
     A method for open systems printing including routing print jobs automatically from an arbitrary number of source computers to an arbitrary number of printers without the source computers selecting printers for each print job. 
     A method for printing including controlling the printing of print jobs on high-speed production printers through a graphical user interface. 
     A print server for use with different types of source computers and different types of printers, the print server directs print jobs received from the source computers to the printers without the source computers selecting printers for each print job. 
     A print server for use with an arbitrary number of similar types of source computers and an arbitrary number of similar types of printers, the print server directs print jobs received from the source computers to the printers without the source computers selecting printers for each print job. 
     An open systems printing environment including a source computer connected to a first network, a print server connected to the first network and a second network, an output manager connected to the second network, and a printer connected to the output manager, the print server directs print jobs generated by the source computer to the printer.

This application is a continuation and claims benefit of priority ofU.S. Pat. No. 7,072,067 issued on Jul. 4, 2006, U.S. Pat. No. 6,337,745,issued Jan. 8, 2002 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,469,796, issued on Oct. 22, 2002which are continuations of Ser. No. 08/609,776, filed Mar. 1, 1996 nowabandoned. The disclosure of these prior applications and correspondingmicrofiche appendices are considered part of (and is incorporated byreference in) the disclosure of this application.

BACKGROUND

This invention relates to open systems printing.

Printing is often a proprietary sub-system of computer operatingsystems. This is especially true for production or high-speed printing(i.e., greater than 100 pages per minute). For example, IBM™ MVS™mainframes 10, 12 (FIG. 1) are connected to IBM™ printers 14, 16 overIBM™ bus-and-tag channels 18, 20, Microsoft™ NT™ server 22 is connectedto NT™ printer 24 over proprietary bus 26, and image server 28 isconnected to image printers 30 over proprietary busses 32. In a typicalMVS™ environment, print files are generated from a mainframe MVS™application and sent to a Job Entry Sub-System (JES). The print job isrouted over the proprietary bus to a printer directly connected to theproprietary bus. The job is then printed using JES commands.

When new processors are developed and installed, new printerscorresponding to the new technology are also installed. Dedicated,high-bandwidth channel bus extenders are used to connect remotehigh-speed printers to a central mainframe location.

Client/server systems typically include smaller desktop computers(clients) connected to larger more powerful computers (servers). Toprint a client/server print stream on a high-speed printer, the printstream is typically routed (arrow 34) to a mainframe, e.g., MVS™ 10, andthen routed to a high-speed printer, e.g., printers 14. The mainframe iseffectively made a high-cost print server for the distributedclient/server system.

Switch 36 enables either MVS™ 12 or a VAX™ mainframe 38 to send printstreams to printer 40. If MVS™ 12 is configured to send print streamsthrough switch 36 and a user instead wants to send print streams fromVAX™ 38 to the printer, the user enables the VAX™ and disables the MVS™and configures the switch accordingly. Approximately 20 minutes to anhour is required to re-configure the mainframes and switch. A new switchis needed to allow a different hardware platform, e.g., NT™ server 22,to share a printer with MVS™ 12 and/or VAX™ 38.

SUMMARY

In general, in one aspect, the invention features a method for opensystems printing including routing print jobs automatically fromdifferent types of source computers to different types of printerswithout the source computers selecting printers for each print job. Ingeneral, in another aspect, the invention features a method for opensystems printing including routing print jobs automatically from anarbitrary number of source computers to an arbitrary number of printerswithout the source computers selecting printers for each print job.

Implementations of the invention may include one or more of thefollowing. Routing may include sending the print jobs from the sourcecomputers to a print server and sending the print jobs from the printserver to output managers connected to the printers. The print jobs maybe sent from the source computers to the print server over a firstnetwork, e.g., a TCP/IP network, and the print jobs may be sent from theprint server to the output managers over a second network, e.g., a localarea network. The method may include transforming data in the print jobsinto a format compatible with the printers, and the transformation maybe carried out by the print server or an output manager. After sendingthe print jobs from the source computers to the print server, the methodmay include storing the print jobs in a server spool coupled to theprint server. Before sending the print jobs from the print server to theoutput managers, the data in the print jobs may be manipulated, forexample, two print jobs may be merged into one print job. The method mayalso include printing the print jobs on paper, sending the print jobs toan electronic mail system, recording the print jobs on microfiche, andrecording the print jobs on laser disk. Each of the print jobs mayinclude at least two reports and routing may include sending the printjobs from the source computers to a print server and sending individualreports from the print server to output managers connected to theprinters. After sending the print jobs from the source computers to theprint server, the method may include bringing the source-computers downfor maintenance while printing the print jobs.

In general, in another aspect, the invention features a method forprinting including controlling the printing of print jobs on high-speedproduction printers through a graphical user interface.

Implementations of the invention may include one or more of thefollowing. The method may include receiving the print jobs at a printserver coupled to the graphical user interface and listing the receivedprint jobs in the graphical user interface. Controlling may includeselecting a print job from the list of received print jobs, determiningif a printer coupled to the print server has a set-up compatible withthe selected print job's set-up, and sending the selected print job fromthe print server to an output manager connected to the printer.Selecting may include dragging-and-dropping the selected print job fromthe list of print jobs onto a printer icon, and the method may alsoinclude preventing the drag-and-drop of the selected print job if theprinter set-up is determined to be incompatible with the selected printjob's set-up.

In general, in another aspect, the invention features a print server foruse with different types of source computers and different types ofprinters, the print server directs print jobs received from the sourcecomputers to the printers without the source computers selectingprinters for each print job. In general, in another aspect, theinvention features a print server for use with an arbitrary number ofsimilar types of source computers and an arbitrary number of similartypes of printers, the print server directs print jobs received from thesource computers to the printers without the source computers selectingprinters for each print job.

Implementations of the invention may include one or more of thefollowing. The print server may include an input receiver, coupled tothe source computers, for receiving the print jobs from the sourcecomputers, a server spool, coupled to the input receiver, for storingreceived print jobs, a queue manager, coupled to the server spool andthe input receiver, for directing each of the print jobs to a selectedone of the printers through an output manager, and a data transformer,coupled to the server spool, for converting data in print jobs into aformat compatible with the corresponding selected printers.

In general, in another aspect, the invention features an open systemsprinting environment including a source computer connected to a firstnetwork, a print server connected to the first network and a secondnetwork, an output manager connected to the second network, and aprinter connected to the output manager, the print server directs printjobs generated by the source computer to the printer.

Implementations of the invention may include one or more of thefollowing. The open systems printing environment may also include aserver spool coupled to the printer server and a graphical userinterface coupled to the print server.

Advantages of the invention may include one or more of the following.Print streams generated on an arbitrary number of dissimilar/similartypes of source computers, including client/server systems, areefficiently routed to an arbitrary number of dissimilar/similar highspeed printing hardware. User application programs on source computersneed not be modified, and the number of source computers and the numberof printers is scalable. New technology (i.e., types of computers andprinting hardware) is easily added to the printing system. Local printmanagement provides cost effective operation of a large print centerremote from a data center. A graphical user interface (GUI) provides aflexible, easy-to-use operator interface. Printing may continue whensource computers are down for maintenance or due to failures.

Print streams generated by source computers may be manipulated in theopen print server prior to being routed to available printing hardware.For example, bank statement data from a mainframe may be merged withimage data (i.e., pictures of processed checks) from an image serverbefore being routed to available printing hardware. Merging printstreams in the open print server prior to printing reduces the handlingrequired to process the merging of two print streams and reduces errorsassociated with known physical merging techniques.

Other advantages and features will become apparent from the followingdescription, and from the claims.

DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of source computers directly connected toprinters.

FIGS. 2 and 3 are a block diagrams of an open systems printingenvironment.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the TCP/IP protocol stack.

FIG. 5 is a detailed block diagram of an open systems printingenvironment.

FIGS. 6-31 are video screen displays of a graphical user interface to anopen systems printing environment.

Referring to FIG. 2, an open systems printing environment 50 includes anopen print server 52 connected to source computers 54 through aTransmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) network 56. Theopen print server receives print jobs from the source computers andefficiently routes the jobs over a local area network (LAN) 58 tovarious output managers 60. The output managers then have the jobsprinted on directly connected printers 62.

TCP/IP is a communications protocol that was developed under contractfrom the United States Department of Defense in the 1970's to connectdissimilar computer systems. Today TCP/IP is a defacto standard afterbecoming the network protocol of choice for corporate data networks.TCP/IP is flexible and available on a wide range of hardware platforms.The protocol enables programmatic linking and routing of data betweendissimilar computer systems. As a result, the open print server acceptsprint files from different hardware platforms, including IBM™ MVS™mainframes 64 (FIGS. 2 and 3), UNIX servers 66, Microsoft™ Windows NT™servers 68, IBM™ AS/400 servers 70, and Digital Equipment Corporation™VAX™ mainframes 72.

The highest level of TCP/IP is Application Layer 74 (FIG. 4). User levelprogramming is incorporated at the top of the TCP/IP protocol stack atthe Application layer. For example, File Transfer Protocol (FTP) is anapplication layer program. The Application Layer permits computers toconnect to and work together over the network.

TCP layer 76 defines the transport standard, providing end-to-endreliability and sequencing of transmitted bytes of data. This ensuresthat each byte of data sent from a source computer is received correctlyby the open print server. IP layer 78 of the TCP/IP protocol stackprovides the routing mechanism/computer addressing information.Addressing information is used to forward bytes from source computers tothe open print server. Network Interface layer 80 defines the physicalattributes of the network connection.

Many hardware platforms may serve as the open print server. Forinstance, the open print server may be a Sun™ SPARC™ 10/20 server 82(FIG. 3), a Sun™ SPARC™ 1000 server 84, an IBM™ RS/6000 server 86, or aHewlett Packard™ server 88. Many output managers and printers are alsoavailable. The printers may be Advance Function Printing (AFP) in Pageor Line mode printers, intelligent printer data stream (IPDS) printers,impact, simplex, DUPLEX, line conditioned data stream (LCDS) andintelligent print stream (IPS), roll-fed, sheet-fed, postscript, color,or continuous tone printers. For example, an output manager 90 includingan ISI/OPS printer driver 91 may receive print jobs from the open printserver and direct them to IBM™ 3800-3 and 4245/8 printers 92, 94 andSiemens™ 2140/2240 page mode printers 96. Similarly, an output manager97 including a PSF/6000 printer driver 98 may direct print jobs to IBM™3900, 3828/9, and 3900 duplex printers 100, 101, 102, an output manager103 including a SNPS/8000 printer driver 104 may direct print jobs toSiemens™ 2140/2240 IPDS printers 105, Siemens™ page stream printers 106,and Siemens™ twin duplex printers 107, and an output manager 108including a XEROX™ printer driver 109 may direct print jobs to a XEROX™printer 110.

Referring to FIG. 5, an open printing client program 114 is installed oneach source computer 116 to transfer print files from the sourcecomputers to open print server 52 over TCP/IP network 56 withoutmodifying applications running on the source computers. As an example,source computer 116 is an IBM™ MVS™ mainframe. Application 118 runningon the MVS™ mainframe transfers print files into a Job Entry Sub-system(JES) which stores the print jobs on one or more MVS™ JES spools 120.Program 114 includes a JES2Q Program for each JES spool available to theMVS™ mainframe. Each JES2Q program searches a corresponding JES spoolfor print jobs having a destination identification (DESTID)corresponding to an open print server.

The JES2Q programs “strip” print jobs destined for the open print serverfrom the JES spools, add open print server header information to theprint jobs, and encapsulate the print jobs into TCP packets. The TCPpackets are transferred to the open print server. The JES2Q programsinterface with a TCP/IP stack 122 to pass print jobs to TCP/IP networkrouters via, for example, an IBM™ 3172 gateway 123 (FIG. 2). The routerssend the print jobs over the TCP/IP network to an input receiver 124 onthe open print server. The JES2Q programs communicate with the inputreceiver program through a sockets interface (program-to-program) in theApplication level of the TCP/IP protocol stack in a many-to-onerelationship.

When the input receiver receives incoming print jobs, it writes the dataonto a server spool 126 and uses the header information to log the jobin a database, for example, a Sybase, Inc. database. Server spool 126 isa direct access storage device (DASD) and may include mirrored disks.The array contains, for example, four 16 gigabyte partitions whichprovide a total capacity of 64 gigabytes. File sizes may exceed the UNIXlimit of 2 gigabytes. The input receiver notifies Queue Manager 128 ofthe status of all incoming print jobs.

Open print server error conditions, for instance, insufficient diskspace or failed network lines, are communicated to the JES2Q programs onthe MVS™ mainframe through TCP/IP error codes. When the error conditionis removed, e.g., disk space becomes available, the print job isrestarted. Checkpoint restart capabilities allow the print jobtransmission to be re-initiated from the point of failure reducing thetime required to finish the transmission.

The Queue Manager functions as a traffic cop by controlling thedistribution of print jobs across the various printers. The QueueManager forwards database update information to one or more Motif™graphical user interfaces 130 (GUIs) through an operator applicationprogramming interface 132 (API). The GUIs provide print operators with acurrent view of the printing environment (discussed in more detailbelow). The Queue Manager also processes commands received from theoperator via the GUI and updates the database accordingly. The QueueManager maintains Job accounting files and server log files and storesthese files on the server spool. Job accounting records 135 aregenerated in various formats, SMF included. These may be automaticallysent to standard billing packages on other computers connected to theTCP/IP network.

While a print job is being received from a source computer, the QueueManager accesses the print job's header information to determine whichprint resources are required to print the job and then accesses aresource manager 133 to determine if the required print resources areavailable. Print resources include fonts, coded fonts, overlays, pagedefinitions, form definitions, page segments, FCBs, media maps, datamaps, and graphics (e.g., logos and signatures). If a required printresource is not available, then the Queue Manager notifies the operatorthrough the GUI. Similarly, the Queue Manager checks for a requiredprinter set-up, for example, that a required form type is loaded, andnotifies the operator if a required printer set-up is not available.

Using the GUI, a print operator selects a job in the server spool anddirects the job to a specific printer. The Queue Manager initiates adata transformation (DTF) process 134 corresponding to the selectedoutput manager and printer. The DTF process interrogates the job todetermine, for example, if it is an AFP page or line mode job. The DTFprocess then reads the job from the spool, converts the data stream to,for example, a channel command word (CCW) format compatible with thetarget printer make/model, and writes the data back onto the spool. TheDTF process also updates the database with status information and errorcondition messages, and this information is made available to the GUIthrough the Queue Manager.

After a sufficient amount of data has been properly transformed, theQueue Manager notifies the selected output manager that a print job isready, and the output manager begins reading the transformed portion ofthe print job from the server spool. For non-IPDS printers (i.e.,Siemens™ 2140, 2240, IBM™ 3800, 4245), the output manager may be a Sun™SparcClassic™ workstation with a printer adapter card to support theattached printer. For IPDS printers, the output manager may be an IBM™RS/6000 workstation with PSF/6000 software or an OS/2 workstation withSNPS 8000 software and a Channel emulation card to support the attachedprinter. In the IPDS printing environment, the output manager reads datafrom the server spool that has not been transformed and completes thedata transformation.

A programmer may generate data application programming interfaces 136and corresponding DTF processes for manipulating data stored on theprint server. For example, many bank statements include data formslisting transactions and account status (accounting data) as well asimage forms with graphical representations of processed checks (imagedata). In the past, these forms were either printed separately andphysically merged together before being mailed to the account holder, orthe image data was routed to a mainframe where the image data andaccount data was merged before being printed. Physically merging formsis error prone and may require substantial personnel time. Because imagedata files are generally large, routing image data to the mainframe maycause bandwidth problems in the network connecting the image server andmainframe requiring the installation of an expensive, high bandwidthbus. This routing may also require a substantial amount of time. Theproblem is multiplied if the mainframe is remote from the image server.

Through the open print server, data is routed once to the open printserver where it is merged into one print job before being printed. Afteran image print job and an accounting print job are stored in the serverspool, the Queue Manager initiates a merge DTF through a merge data APIto merge image and accounting data into one print job. An output managercorresponding to a printer capable of printing both data types is thennotified of the print job.

LAN 58 (FIG. 5) and TCP/IP network 56 provide the open printingenvironment with scalability. Both networks permit many connections, forexample, the LAN may have 256 connections. This allows additional sourcecomputers and output managers/printers to be easily connected to theenvironment when printing needs increase. Additionally, the environmentmay be updated with new technology, e.g., new source computers andoutput managers/printers, by generating corresponding open printingclient programs 114 (FIG. 5) and DTF 134 processes.

Additionally, the TCP/IP network allows large print files to be easilyand quickly transmitted from a data center of source computers to aremote print shop including the open print server, output managers, andprinters. Because print resources are stored on the open print server,print file transmissions are smaller and require less bandwidth. Oncethe files are transmitted, the source computers may be brought down formaintenance without interrupting the printers. Local printer managementpermits efficient use of printer time and capabilities, and because theopen print server routes print jobs across various printers, individualprinters may be drained of print jobs and brought down for maintenancewithout bringing down the entire printing environment. Moving printerqueue management to the open print server may increase source computerperformance by eliminating the need for such a function on the sourcecomputers. Source computers need not select, keep track of, or even knowof available printers.

Printing/Operator Interface

The GUI provides an operator with complete control over printermanagement.

Referring to FIG. 6, the GUI includes a main status display 140 thatallows the operator to manage the print operation, system configuration,and logging in and out of the system. In addition to standard Motif™X-Windows™ features, the GUI includes features specific to the openprint server. For example, source computer and printer icons 142, 144,respectively, are displayed and indicate through words 146 and the colorof the icon the status of the corresponding device. For instance, agreen printer icon indicates that the printer is active, paused, ordraining, blue indicates that the printer is idle or drained, brown thatthe print driver is running but that the printer is unavailable, redthat the print driver is unavailable, and yellow that operatorintervention is required. Similarly, a green source computer iconindicates that the computer is active while a blue source computer iconindicates that the computer is idle.

The operator may double-click a left mouse button on a printer or clienticon 142, 144, respectively, to cause additional information (e.g.,forms, mode), specific to the corresponding device, to be displayed. Asingle-click of the right mouse button on a printer icon brings up apop-up menu of printer functions including pause, resume, cancel job,drain, enable. The user may click the left mouse button on a printerfunction to cause the corresponding printer to execute that function.

Referring to FIGS. 7 and 8, the operator may select a Printer Layoutoption 146 or a Client Layout option 148 from an Edit menu 150 to causea Screen Layout Dialog box 152 or a Client Layout Dialog box 154,respectively, to appear. The operator then uses the dialog boxes toselect those printer and source computer icons to be displayed on themain status display window.

Referring to FIG. 9, the operator may select a Job Queue option 156 froma View menu 158 to cause a Job Queue Status table 160 to be displayed.The operator may then sort the Job Queue Status table display usingoptions 162 (FIG. 10) in a Job Queue Status table View menu 164. Thesesort by options include class, priority, source, status, mode, name,form, criteria, or all jobs.

When the class option is selected, a class pop-up menu 166 (FIG. 11) ofalpha codes from A through Z and numeric codes from 0 through 9 isdisplayed representing classes that the Job Queue Status table may besorted on. The operator may then select one of these codes to sort theJob Queue Status table. When the priority option is selected, a Job ViewBy Priority Selection Dialog box 168 (FIG. 12) is displayed. Theoperator may enter the priority on which he would like the Job QueueStatus table sorted on. When the source option is selected, a sourcecomputer pop-up menu 170 (FIG. 13) is displayed from which the operatormay select a source computer to sort the Job Queue Status table on, andwhen the status option is selected, a status pop-up menu 172 (FIG. 14)is displayed from which the operator may select a status to sort the JobQueue Status table on. Similarly, when the mode option is selected, amode pop-up menu 174 (FIG. 15) is displayed, when the name or formoptions are selected, a Selection Entry dialog box 176 (FIG. 16), 178(FIG. 17), respectively, is displayed, and when the criteria option isselected, a Criteria Display dialog box 180 (FIG. 18) is displayedthrough which the operator can select a combination of criteria, such asclass and priority, to sort on. The operator may select the all jobsoption to cause all jobs to be displayed in the Job Queue Status table.

To perform an operation on a job, the operator selects the job in theJob Queue Status table by clicking the left mouse button on the desiredjob and selects the desired operation from the Operations menu 182 (FIG.19). The operations include Hold, Release, Delete, Copy, ChangePriority, Change Retention Time, Change Class, Print, and Report Queue.The Hold option allows the operator to put a print job on hold, and theRelease option allows the operator to change the status of a print jobto ready. When a print job has a ready status, the operator may printthe job by selecting the print option and a desired printer from a PrintPanel 184 (FIG. 20) or by moving the cursor over the job in the JobQueue Status table, pressing the left mouse button down, anddragging-and-dropping the print job onto the desired printer icon (i.e.,drag-and-drop technology). If the print job set-up does not match theprinter set-up, for example, the form required for the print job is notloaded on the printer, then the GUI indicates that the print job cannotbe printed on the selected printer by not allowing the print option tobe selected or by not allowing the print job to be dropped onto theprinter icon.

Alternatively, the open print server may be configured to automaticallyprint jobs with a ready status if a printer having a matching set-up isavailable.

If a job in a secure class is selected, a Security Authorization Dialogbox 186 (FIG. 21) is displayed, and the operator must enter anauthorized user name 188 and password 190 before an operation may beperformed on the selected job.

Each print job may contain one or more reports (i.e., smaller printjobs). When the report queue option is selected, a Report Queue window192 (FIG. 22) is displayed. The Report Queue window provides many of thesame operational controls at the report level through an Operations menu194 (FIG. 23) that are provided at the job level through the operationsmenu in the Job Queue Status table. Report operations include Hold,Release, Delete, Print, Resources, View Report Ticket, and BrowseReport. The Hold, Release, Delete, and Print report operations work asdescribed above with respect to print jobs. When the Resources option isselected, a Resources Display window 196 (FIG. 24) is displayed. TheResources Display window shows a list of printer resources required toprint the selected report. Each necessary printer resource also includesa status: Unchecked indicates that the Queue Manager has not determinedwhether the resource is available in the resource manager; Missingindicates that the resource is not available through the resourcemanager; and Present indicates that the resource is available. Selectingthe view report ticket option displays a Report Ticket window 198 (FIG.25). The following information about a selected report is displayed: jobname; data definition name; form used; print date; print start time;print end time; total lines in report; and total pages printed. Anoperator or a user connected to a source computer may add notes to areport in a notes dialog box 200. For example, the user may add a notetelling the operator where to send copies of each report. Selecting theReport Browser option displays a Report Browser window 202 (FIG. 26).The Report Browser window displays the actual contents of a selectedreport.

Referring back to FIG. 9, selecting the printer status option from theView menu of the Main Status Display window displays a Printer Statusdisplay window 204 (FIG. 27) including a one line status summary foreach printer. Through the printer set-up option in the View menu, theoperator may configure available printers. When this option is selected,a pop-up menu 206 (FIG. 28) of available printers is displayed, and whena printer is selected from this menu or the operator double-clicks onthe printer icon, a printer configuration dialog box 208 is displayed.The operator enters information into this dialog to configure thecorresponding printer. Selecting the status log option causes a StatusLog 210 (FIG. 29) to be displayed allowing the operator to view andsearch for recorded events.

System menu 212 (FIG. 30) includes a Print Resource option and a SpoolUtilization option. Selecting the Print Resource option displays aResource Dialog box 214. The Resource Dialog box displays existingresource directory paths for the selected printer and allows theoperator to add and delete resource directory paths for the selectedprinter. Selecting the Spool Utilization option displays a SpoolUtilization window 216 (FIG. 31). The Spool Utilization window displaysthe path name of each directory, the percentage of the total spacecurrently used, total number of megabytes, total number of megabytescurrently in use, total number of megabytes available for storage, andtotal megabytes for each column.

Reference to Microfiche Appendix

A microfiche appendix containing C language source code for open systemsprinting consisting of 1648 microfiche images on 17 microfiche cards isfiled herewith. A portion of the disclosure of the patent documentcontains material which is subject to copyright protection. Thecopyright owners have no objection to the facsimile reproduction byanyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears inthe Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwisereserves all copyright rights whatsoever.

Other embodiments are within the following claims.

For example, multiple open print servers at locations remote from thesource computers may be connected to a common TCP/IP network.

As another example, the term “printers” as used in this specificationrefers to many different types of devices, including, but not limitedto, paper printers, e-mail, computer output microfiche (COM) recorders,archival systems, or computer output laser disk (COLD) recorders.

1. A method for open systems printing comprising: routing print jobsautomatically from different types of source computers to differenttypes of printers without the source computers selecting printers foreach print job, wherein routing includes sending the print jobs from thesource computers to a print server, the print server includinginformation about available printers and appropriate print data formatsfor the respective available printers, sending the print jobs from thesource computers to the print server over a first network, and sendingthe print jobs in an appropriate print data format from the print serverto the printers over a second network as a function of the availabilityinformation in the print server.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein thefirst network comprises a TCP/IP network and the second networkcomprises a local area network.
 3. The method of claim 1, furthercomprising: transforming data in the print jobs into a format compatiblewith the printers.
 4. The method of claim 3, wherein the data istransformed by the print server.
 5. The method of claim 3, wherein thedata is transformed by an output manager computer in the second network.6. The method of claim 5, further comprising, before sending the printjobs from the print server to the output managers: manipulating data inthe print jobs.
 7. The method of claim 1, further comprising, aftersending the print jobs from the source computers to the print server:storing the print jobs in a server spool coupled to the print server. 8.The method of claim 1, further comprising sending the print jobs fromthe print server to the before output managers: merging at least two ofthe print jobs into a single print jobs.
 9. The method of claim 1,further comprising: printing the print jobs on paper.
 10. The method ofclaim 1, further comprising: sending the print jobs to an electronicmail system.
 11. The method of claim 1, further comprising: recordingthe print jobs on microfiche.
 12. The method of claim 1, furthercomprising: recording the print jobs on laser disk.
 13. The method ofclaim 1, wherein each of the print jobs include at least two reports androuting includes: sending the print jobs from the source computers to aprint server; and sending individual reports from the print server tooutput managers connected to the printers.
 14. The method of claim 1,further comprising, after sending the print jobs from the sourcecomputers to the print server.